Textron Aviation has suspended its large-cabin Citation Hemisphere program as it waits for issues with the twinjet's Safran Silvercrest engines to "play out."

Citing ongoing problems with Safran's Silvercrest engine, Textron Aviation has suspended work on its large-cabin Cessna Citation Hemisphere business jet. Textron chairman and CEO Scott Donnelly, who made the announcement during an investor conference call this morning, said the company is "waiting to see how the engine plays out. And then, based on that, we'll make our decisions and move forward knowing what the performance of the engine is."

Some aviation analysts think that Safran's ongoing engine problems might give Textron an off-ramp from, or at least further delay entry into, what was promising to be an already crowded new-model, large-cabin market. “Sounds like [Textron is] stepping away from Hemisphere due to engine delays and due to likely competition from Gulfstream,” said Jon Raviv, senior analyst and vice president for aerospace and defense at Citi Research.

“Hemisphere always seemed a bit of a leap for Cessna, in terms of resources and market position, particularly given their relatively weak sales base since the 2009 downturn,” added Richard Aboulafia, vice president of analysis at the Teal Group. “It's particularly hard to make the jump to the top half of the market, where only Bombardier, Gulfstream, and Dassault play.

“The Silvercrest's problems might serve as a rationale to kill the program. Alternatively, Cessna could simply go with Pratt & Whitney Canada's PW800, as Dassault did. Looking at the spec change between the Falcon 5X and 6X, there wouldn't be much of an impact to the Hemisphere's performance goals,” he said.

Rolland Vincent, president of Rolland Vincent Associates and managing director of JetNet iQ, believes Textron is likely to defer the program rather than stay on the pre-announced program schedule. “They have still to certify and then sell bunches of Longitudes, which over time will provide them a natural step-up customer base for the redefined Hemisphere program,” Vincent said. “It's some more good news for the three large-cabin incumbents - Bombardier, Dassault, and Gulfstream - and any development programs they have under way or consideration; a fourth competitor was not going to help pricing discipline and margins in this space, that’s for sure.”

He said Textron's decision all but buries the Silvercrest program: “This is a major body blow to Safran, but not unexpected.” Vincent added that if Textron eventually proceeds with a Hemisphere program re-engined with a Pratt & Whitney Canada (P&WC) powerplant it will “complete a coup d’etat for P&WC, who have really stepped up their game and shifted up-market, much as Textron has been striving to do.”

Analyst Brian Foley thinks it still makes sense for Textron Aviation to pursue a large-cabin program, even if that means delaying it so it can be reworked with a new engine. “Whatever the outcome, it still behooves Cessna to eventually offer a new, top-of-the-line flagship product to allow loyal customers to trade up to and remain in the family,” he said.

As late as December 2017, Textron Aviation had reaffirmed its commitment to the troubled Silvercrest program, even though the engine's only other commercial customer, Dassault Aviation, then had canceled its Falcon 5X program due to continuing development problems with the engine. The problems eventually led Dassault to launch the Falcon 6X program in February and turn to P&WC’s PW800-series engine for that aircraft. It also prompted Safran to take a $720 million write-down against the Silvercrest program in 2016.

Dassault Aviation CEO Eric Trappier made no attempt to contain his frustration with Safran over the Silvercrest's delays at NBAA 2017, including fresh problems revealed days before the show opened with regard to acceleration of the high-pressure compressor at high altitudes. “We believed we were at the end of the program,” he told AIN. “The final version of the engine was supposed to be delivered at the end of this year or early next year.”

In unveiling the 6X in February, he said, “I had no choice to stop the 5X program and find the best possible engine.” Last year, a senior Safran executive told AIN that the company had a good understanding of the compressor problem and a range of possible solutions but had no fixed timeline for a solution.

“We’re committed to being an industry leader and will not back off on the performance specifications we want for the Citation Hemisphere," a Textron Aviation spokesperson told AIN. "We remain in touch with Safran on the 18- to 24-month delay of the Silvercrest engine.”

A spokesman from Safran Aircraft Engines said the company "is fully committed to continue and complete the development of the Silvercrest engine, all the way to certification, with our primary objective being to deliver to Cessna an engine in compliance with the specifications of its new Hemisphere aircraft. As we said previously, we are working on the HP axial compressor optimization and improvements, and all the progress that has been made are shared regularly with Cessna.”

Fonte: AINonline by Mark Huber / Photo: Textron Aviation

European Rotorcraft Makers Demonstrate Manned-Unmanned Teaming

Manned-unmanned teaming capabilities were recently tested using an Airbus Helicopters H145 and a Schiebel Camcopter S-100 unmanned air system (UAS). The S-100 was controlled and piloted by an operator sitting in the helicopter.

Airbus Helicopters and Austrian company Schiebel have joined forces to demonstrate combined operations by manned and unmanned rotary-wing vehicles. They claim to be the first European helicopter companies to perform so-called Manned Unmanned Teaming (MUM-T) to the highest-level of interoperability, which is known as Level Five. The test flights were sponsored by the Austrian Armaments and Defence Technology Agency, and involved a manned H145M and an unmanned S-100 Camcopter.

An S-100 operator sitting in the H-145M exercised full control of the UAS, including takeoff and landing. During the flights, control of the S-100 was also temporarily handed over to a ground-based operator by the pilot, to simulate the return of the manned helicopter for refueling. The two aircraft jointly flew different scenarios, including the detection of objects hidden in places not accessible by traditional helicopters.

Airbus Helicopters said that the challenges of data transfer interference and electromagnetic compatibility of the UAS with the manned helicopter, as well as the integration of Schiebel’s UAS mission planning and control system into the H145’s architecture, were successfully managed. The next step will be to optimize the human-machine interface based on a thorough analysis of the crew workload using the results of the flight tests, Airbus added.

“Manned-Unmanned Teaming multiplies the capabilities of both systems,” said Mark Henning, program manager at Airbus Helicopters. “Smaller UAS with vertical takeoff and landing capabilities can, for example, fly around obstacles, such as trees or buildings, closer than a helicopter could. They are able to explore unknown territory and deliver information to the [manned] helicopter crew that is operating from a safe position and that can then step in with that helicopter’s superior effects, having received a clear picture from the UAS,” Henning continued.

Schiebel said that MUM-T could provide “mission-enhancing” advantages for army aviation. The pilots of manned fixed-wing aircraft, as well as helicopters, could take full advantage of the S-100’s intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities in complex, contested missions. “Another key advantage of such an approach is improved datalink security,” explained Chris Day, Schiebel’s chief technical officer. “The datalink between the manned and unmanned platform can be moved from a static to a dynamic environment, away from the ground, making it more robust and harder to detect.”

Airbus Helicopters said that MUM-T could be applied to its entire product range, including the NH90 and the Tiger. The company is developing its own rotary-wing UAS for surveillance, designated VSR700, and which is based on the manned civil Cabri G2 light helicopter developed by French company Guimbal.

Fonte: AINonline by Chris Pocock / Photo: Airbus Helicopters

Textron makes progress on Cessna SkyCourier

Wind tunnel testing is complete for twin turboprop.

The wind tunnel testing for preliminary design of the Cessna SkyCourier is complete. Cessna is moving quickly on the SkyCourier project, which parent company Textron Aviation announced in November. The company has completed the initial wind tunnel testing at the San Diego Wind Tunnel at the San Diego International Airport in California, and is making progress toward a final design.

The model used for the wind tunnel testing was equipped with electric motors and scaled propellers calibrated to represent the thrust produced by the airplane itself, said Textron Aviation’s senior vice president of engineering, Brad Thress. The tests help predict performance, aerodynamic characteristics and structural load data.

In addition to using the data gathered during the wind tunnel tests, the engineering team is collecting feedback from a customer advisory board. “The feedback we’re gathering from the CAB is extremely important as we develop an aircraft that is reliable, efficient and meets the diverse requirements of an array of mission profiles,” Thress said.

So far, the design parameters for the SkyCourier are for a large, high wing, twin-turboprop with a 6,000-pound maximum payload capacity. The range is expected to be about 900 nm at a cruise speed of around 200 knots. Two versions of the SkyCourier are planned: a commuter option and a freight option. The freight version will include an oversized cargo door and a wide-open space in the back, while the commuter will offer seats for 19 passengers.

Textron has an aggressive development plan for the SkyCourier, which is expected to fly next year and enter the market in 2020.

Bombardier has extended the range of its marquee business jet to 7,700 nautical miles, unseating the Gulfstream G650.

Bombardier Inc. is extending the range of its marquee business jet to 7,700 nautical miles, unseating the Gulfstream G650 as the long-distance champ of the private-aircraft industry.

The 300-mile improvement for the Global 7000 means the plane will be able to whisk passengers from New York to Hong Kong, or Singapore to San Francisco, Bombardier said in a statement Sunday. A flight-test program with five aircraft has demonstrated the added reach, the company said.

The extra range gives Bombardier bragging rights over the G650 on flying distance as well as size, both of which are crucial selling points for the well-heeled customers who buy the planes. Bombardier Chief Executive Officer Alain Bellemare is counting on the Global 7000 to generate the lion’s share of his targeted US$3.5-billion increase in annual sales of private jets by 2020 — a key component of his turnaround plan for the debt-laden company.

“There’s a significant, almost endless desire for more range, more luxury and more space among business-jet buyers,” said David Tyerman, an analyst at Cormark Securities. “We saw that with the G650, and the Global 7000 takes it yet another step further. Every time a manufacturer comes out with a product that’s more capable, there seems to be a market that we didn’t know existed.”

The jet’s exterior design is equally visionary and includes a wing configuration that the company describes as “conceived to optimize speed, range and control and ensure an exceptionally smooth ride.” Its long-range capability is 7,400 nm (13,705 km), which Bombardier notes is equivalent to the distance between London and Singapore or New York and Dubai.

Luxury Battle

Flight testing now exceeds 1,800 hours for the Global 7000 and the plane has reached a top speed of Mach 0.995, just short of the sound barrier, Bombardier said Sunday. The aircraft, with a sticker price of US$72.8 million, is sold out through 2021, according to the company.

The Montreal-based manufacturer still has a long way to go as it tries to catch up to the coveted G650, which lists for US$69.4 million and has dominated the upper echelon of corporate jets since its debut five years ago. Gulfstream, a unit of Falls Church, Virginia-based General Dynamics Corp., has delivered 300 of the planes.

Bombardier announced plans in November to hire about 1,000 people to work on the Global 7000 at its Montreal completion centre. The company is still looking to fill about 500 of the jobs. The jet is assembled at Bombardier’s Downsview factory in Toronto.

Canada’s biggest aerospace company invested US$1 billion last year alone in developing and producing the Global 7000, with total cost of the project amounting to “a few billion dollars,” Bellemare said in an interview

Summarizing the improving business aviation climate in China, NBAA president and CEO Ed Bolen expressed optimism about the high number of Chinese companies exhibiting at ABACE.

ABACE has been undergoing a slow evolution, with many more aircraft on display registered from Asian locations and exhibitors from young or startup companies from the region, a change that is reflecting a maturing market, said Ed Bolen, president and CEO of ABACE co-host National Business Aviation Association (NBAA).

When NBAA and AsBAA originally discussed the return of ABACE in 2011, they focused on bringing the international business aviation community to China, Bolen said. “We wanted to make Shanghai a center stage for the international business aviation community with the expectation that doing that will help facilitate growth but inevitably [ABACE] will have Chinese character,” Bolen said. “I think we are seeing that play out.”

ABACE began with few aircraft with Chinese markings, he said, adding, “When we first came here, a lot of planes were N registered. They were flown over for the event and flown out. Now you see there are a lot of Chinese operators whose livery or markings are on the airplanes. Its kind of the evolution we hoped to foster.”

An underlying purpose for ABACE has been to serve as a platform that helps the growth and maturation of the industry throughout the region. “This is not just a trade show. It is not just about putting buyers and sellers together,” he said. The show is about bringing the international community together, and importantly bringing government leaders together to educate and discuss key policies that would help advance the industry. “That’s what makes this show so special,” Bolen added.

He noted that ABACE from the beginning has had strong support from the city of Shanghai, the CAAC, and the Shanghai Airport Authority.

Now they are seeing a strong commitment on the part of the Chinese government to help expand the general aviation community. “It’s exciting to see we’ve gone from being part of the 12th five-year plan to being part of the 13th five-year plan,” Bolen said. “The number of airports that have been built are in the hundreds. Conversations are ongoing about getting dedicated business aviation airports. Investment in general aviation companies continues. I believe that there is an overall optimism that the market is maturing here and it’s happening across the board.”

While a focus at the higher levels of the Chinese government has been on the lighter end of general aviation, Bolen believes that benefits business aviation. “It’s all good if it create pilots, if it increases familiarity with aviation, if it drives airports, and it drives understanding.” He expressed pride in the diversity of the aircraft on display, including single-engine pistons and amphibians. “We worked hard to make that a possibility. We recognize for business aviation in China to grow, we need to evolve the general aviation market.”

But Bolen acknowledged that challenges remain. “We would like to see more airports and more business aviation airports, particularly in the city centers.” He noted the key role business aviation airports play in other parts of the world. ”We’d like to see more of that [in China].”

The industry also is encouraging more policies that recognize the value of business aviation to job growth, economic development, and humanitarian efforts. “That’s all very important,” he said.

Policies have been progressing, too. “When we started ABACE, it took days and weeks to get permits. It now takes hours. So that’s going in the right direction.“

Airspace access is still another area in need of improvement, however. “We’d like to see more liberal access to airspace. In order to grow, we need airports, we need access to airspace. That’s fundamental.”

The industry continues to work toward recognition of the differences between business and general aviation and the scheduled airline world, believes Bolen. And although trade and taxes can present challenges, he is confident that the government has a vision for growth.

He acknowledged the recent dispute over tariffs. “We’re clearly in a situation where proposals have been made, counter proposals have been made, and counter proposals to counters proposals. There’s been a lot going on in the past few weeks." But he noted that conversations over the tariffs continue and no policies have yet been put in place. Leaders also are indicating a willingness to work through these issues. “There’s still a lot of dialogue going on.”

Beyond regulatory issues, Bolen noted that China also needs to expand its workforce, needing more pilots, technicians, and women in aviation. “It’s a significant issue here [in China],” he said. In the U.S. a large pilot population already exists, exposing children to the possibilities of the industry. “That is much less prevalent here,” he said. “Making people aware of aviation opportunities is something that is going to require a lot of outreach.”

A hallmark of ABACE is its careers day that draws students from the area. The event not only serves to educate young people on the possibilities but also is “tactile,” he said, enabling them to see and touch airplanes. “We hope that it ignites a passion.”

Fonte: AINonline by Kerry Lynch

Rotorvox C2A maked US debut at SUN ‘n FUN 2018

The C2A is an all-carbon monocoque gyroplane developed and produced in Germany by Rotorvox Lift Air GmbH, a division of LIFT Air in Eisenach, Germany.

Powered by the Rotax 914 turbocharged engine, the C2A is one of the most technically advanced gyroplanes in the world, according to company officials.

The C2A has a twin boom layout that incorporates wide dual tail booms, rugged trailing link main gear with elastomer shock absorption and a hydraulic maintenance-free pre-rotation system. The cabin features side-by-side seating with ergonomically placed controls to make flying a shared experience, company officials note.

The C2A is certified and sold ready-to-fly in Europe, but will be sold as an Experimental Amateur Built kit in the USA.

Rotorvox Aero is based near Denver, Colorado and plans to work in association with Flight Design USA in South Woodstock, Conn., for an East Coast Customer build assistance center.

Vertex Recreational Vehicle Is More Fuel-Efficient than a Plane & Faster than a Boat

London-based innovation company Exclin Ltd unveiled the Vertex Recreational Vehicle concept, a next-generation, fuel-efficient aircraft that will fly close to ground or water using “wing in ground-effect” (WIG) technology and will be more fuel-efficient than a plane and faster than a boat. Based on patented, award-winning Vertex Lift System technology, the vehicle will also allow vertical take-off and the ability to explore locations that are beyond the range of a speedboat.

The Vertex Recreational Vehicle will fly with the help of Exclin’s patented Vertex Lift System, that ensures control and stability regardless of vehicle speed. The Golden Bridge Awards Gold Winner at Energy Industry Innovations in the US in 2017, the system takes conventional WIG technology and adds “lift thrust” technology allowing Vertex to take off vertically from a ground surface while still offering the flexibility of conventional take-off and landing on ground or water. When the vehicle is in ground-effect mode – flying a few metres from the water surface – the lift system is designed to respond dynamically to changes in conditions such as gusts of wind, to give the vehicle extra stability and control.

The pilots will be able to fly a high-speed craft within metres of the water’s surface. Vertex Recreational Vehicle will boast the high speed of up to 150kph, will be easy to operate and will require limited training compared to an aircraft. The craft is perfect for luxury seaside hotels or resort villas in regions such as the Bahamas, Fiji, Greece and the Maldives. To meet the specific needs of recreational pilots, it will be possible to separate the main wing from the body, in order to tow the Vertex Recreational Vehicle with a car.Our patented solution, the Vertex Lift System, helped meet these criteria by adding a “lift thrust” capability to the vehicle.

For the second straight year, Sheltair's Tampa facility rose to the top of the rankings in AIN's annual FBO Survey. The location earned an overall score of 4.74, and was the only service provider to earn scores of more than 4.70 in each of the five categories. Outside of North America, Tag Farnborough maintained its long run as the top international FBO, its score of 4.69 placing it firmly in the top five percent of FBOs worldwide according to AIN's readers. The highest individual category score this year (4.91) was achieved by Meridian's Teterboro Airport facility for its customer service representatives.

As business aviation continues its rebound from the depths of the global economic downturn a decade ago, optimism continues to grow among U.S. FBO operators, as flight activity and fleet utilization increases. According to industry data provider Aviation Research Group/U.S. (ARGUS), flight activity in 2017 eclipsed the three-million-hour mark for the first time since 2008, and year-over-year rose 5.5 percent over 2016.

That activity has translated to gains at the fuel pump in many places. In the annual FBO Fuel Sales Survey conducted by industry consultancy Aviation Business Strategies Group (ABSG), 53 percent of the service providers who responded said fuel sales increased in 2017 while another nearly 20 percent indicated that their sales were the same as in 2016. The survey also asked about their confidence in the economy. “We were encouraged to see that 73 percent gave the economy a strong thumbs-up,” noted ABSG co-principal John Enticknap. “By comparison, in last year’s survey, 53 percent approved the direction of the economy, and the year before, only 27 percent gave approval.” Based on that endorsement, 93 percent of those FBOs surveyed said they expected either the same or increased fuel sales in 2018.

“The consensus opinion from our clients is that business is relatively good, with growth in the 2 to 3 percent range, and stable margins,” Stephen Dennis, chairman of Aviation Resource Group International (ARGI), told AIN. “The outlook for the balance of the year is growth in the 3 percent range.” He added that the hiring of trained FBO personnel, especially at the general manager level, is becoming more difficult as a result of lower turnover in many senior and mid-level positions.

As a result of this stability, the needle is moving to a seller’s market, when it comes to the buying of FBOs. “The market for selling is good; however, the number of transactions remains low by historical metrics,” explained Dennis. “The transactions that are closing are skewed toward higher valuations.” While the FBO chains continue look for opportunities among the top-tier airports, the most recent round of major consolidation, which was capped off by Signature Flight Support’s acquisition of Landmark Aviation, has made that more difficult. “As we look back over the time since the turn of the century, we have seen a progressive reduction in the number of FBO consolidation opportunities,” said Dennis, adding that since 1980, the 10,000 FBOs in the U.S. has decreased by two-thirds. “This is not to say that we won’t see continued consolidation. It just means that transaction values will increase, and there will be fewer of them.”

Douglas Wilson, president of FBO industry advisor FBO Partners, noted that most of the top 200 airports in the U.S. have only one or two service providers, and those locations are now mainly owned by the chains. As an example, four of the FBOs that made up the top 5 percent in this year’s AIN FBO Survey were acquired by chains over the past few years. “You’ve got a significant number of players now out there in the field trying to acquire FBOs, all hunting for the same thing,” Wilson told AIN. In addition to the long-established chains such as Signature, Atlantic, Jet Aviation and Million Air, there are also new names, such as Ross Aviation, Hawthorne Global, Lynx and the latest, Modern Aviation. The last launched just this February, backed by private equity money, and is looking to grow networks of its own.

Among European airports, Paris’s Le Bourget remains the busiest business aviation airport, recording nearly 26,000 departures in 2017, while London Biggin Hill saw the largest growth last year at more than 16 percent, according to statistics provided by industry data provider WingX Advance.

“On the international scene, growth is accelerating, and advancing beyond the USA in several key markets in Eastern and Western Europe,” Dennis told AIN. “Very few operations are being sold internationally, as the most successful operators are increasing their investments in their operations, preparing for increased growth.”

Against this backdrop, we present the top locations in our annual FBO survey, as selected by AIN’s readers.

Fonte: AINonline by Curt Epstein

Cybercriminals Targeting Bizav Travelers

International cybercriminal gangs are targeting business travelers in Asia, Europe, and the Middle East, Universal Weather and Aviation chief information security officer Keith Turpin told attendees last week at the NBAA International Operators Conference in Las Vegas. “The big move in cybercrime is to find out what your business is going to do and use the inside information for stock trading. We’re talking billions in illicit profits,” he said. Flight department customers, Turpin noted, often possess such information.

The cybergang DarkHotel, operating in Asia, was reported by the FBI in 2012 and remains active, and the APT28 Hacking Group in Europe and the Middle East was reported last year. “They compromise the network of a luxury hotel and send fake software update messages to network users,” he said. “It’s going to update the computer with a virus designed to steal access codes and credentials and look for information of value.”

To combat this and other cybersecurity threats, Turpin advises avoiding shared networks, public charging stations, and sketchy ATMs, which can be vectors for malware or identity theft. He also advises using “burner,” or one-time-use, mobile phones, tablets, and laptops for travel in insecure areas.

Fonte: AINonline by James Wynbrandt

Enhanced Productivity

Business aviation is a productivity tool used by thousands of companies and organizations of all sizes. These forward-thinking organizations utilize business aircraft to minimize travel time; enhance the efficiency, productivity, safety and security of key personnel; and remain nimble, competitive and successful in today’s highly competitive marketplace. See Enhanced Productivity infographics.